St Martin's Church, Ruislip
Encyclopedia
St Martin's Church is a church in the town of Ruislip
, within the London Borough of Hillingdon
. It has been designated since January 1950 by English Heritage
as a Grade B listed building. The present chancel
and nave
date back to the 13th century. The church stands at the northern end of Ruislip High Street, near the Manor Farm
site.
but is believed to have been replaced by the present church in 1245, after an increase in the parish population necessited a larger building. Stones with markings from the Norman period have been found in the grounds, believed to be from the original building.
While Ruislip was under the ownership of the Bec Abbey
, the monks bestowed the name St. Martin upon the church, dedicating it to Saint Martin of Tours
from Normandy
.
The Proctor-General of the Bec Abbey, William de Guineville, is believed to have insisted upon the rebuilding of the church. He had held the position since 1242 and lived in the priory at Manor Farm. The first recorded vicar of the church was William de Berminton in 1327.
Between 1404 and 1414, the Bec Abbey lost its lands following heavy taxation during the Hundred Years War. By 1422, the condition of the building had deteriorated, at which point it was given to the Dean and Canons of Windsor. They had the chancel built later in the 15th century, while the parishioners themselves rebuilt the south aisle in 1440. The church tower was also built in the 15th century with a set of bells. Thomas Bettz left £26 13 4d
in his will in 1463 to pay for the repair of the bells. An extension to the south aisle was added in 1500.
In 1870, the church building was substantially restored
by the architect George Gilbert Scott
.
In 1958, the rood beam was added as a memorial to the local Gower family.
The Ruislip war memorial dedicated to those killed in the First World War was moved from its original position in the church graveyard in 1976, to be near the entrance to Manor Farm.
Ruislip
Ruislip is a suburban area, centred on an old village in Greater London, and is part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.It was formerly also a parish covering the neighbouring areas of Eastcote, Northwood, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip in the area. The parish appears in the Domesday Book, and...
, within the London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. The borough's population was recorded as 243,006 in the 2001 Census. The borough incorporates the former districts of Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the...
. It has been designated since January 1950 by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade B listed building. The present chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
date back to the 13th century. The church stands at the northern end of Ruislip High Street, near the Manor Farm
Manor Farm, Ruislip
Manor Farm is a historic site in Ruislip, Greater London. It incorporates an old barn dating from the 13th century and the remains of a motte-and-bailey castle believed to date from shortly after the Norman conquest of England...
site.
History
A church for Ruislip appears in the 1086 Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
but is believed to have been replaced by the present church in 1245, after an increase in the parish population necessited a larger building. Stones with markings from the Norman period have been found in the grounds, believed to be from the original building.
While Ruislip was under the ownership of the Bec Abbey
Bec Abbey
Bec Abbey in Le Bec Hellouin, Normandy, France, once the most influential abbey in the Anglo-Norman kingdom of the twelfth century, is a Benedictine monastic foundation in the Eure département, in the Bec valley midway between the cities of Rouen and Bernay.Like all abbeys, Bec maintained annals...
, the monks bestowed the name St. Martin upon the church, dedicating it to Saint Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
from Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
.
The Proctor-General of the Bec Abbey, William de Guineville, is believed to have insisted upon the rebuilding of the church. He had held the position since 1242 and lived in the priory at Manor Farm. The first recorded vicar of the church was William de Berminton in 1327.
Between 1404 and 1414, the Bec Abbey lost its lands following heavy taxation during the Hundred Years War. By 1422, the condition of the building had deteriorated, at which point it was given to the Dean and Canons of Windsor. They had the chancel built later in the 15th century, while the parishioners themselves rebuilt the south aisle in 1440. The church tower was also built in the 15th century with a set of bells. Thomas Bettz left £26 13 4d
£sd
£sd was the popular name for the pre-decimal currencies used in the Kingdom of England, later the United Kingdom, and ultimately in much of the British Empire...
in his will in 1463 to pay for the repair of the bells. An extension to the south aisle was added in 1500.
In 1870, the church building was substantially restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
by the architect George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
.
In 1958, the rood beam was added as a memorial to the local Gower family.
The Ruislip war memorial dedicated to those killed in the First World War was moved from its original position in the church graveyard in 1976, to be near the entrance to Manor Farm.